There is a need for ruggedized computers for use, among other purposes, in robot vehicles. Such vehicles are distinct from remotely controlled vehicles, in that a robot vehicle is controlled by its own brain, in the form of a computer assembly. The computer assembly does so based on input from an array of instruments, which it interprets and responds to, in accordance with a governing set of computer programs. Accordingly, the computer assembly controls the acceleration, steering and braking of the robot vehicle. The computer assembly, upon which the vehicle performance is entirely dependent, is subjected to a harsh environment that includes jarring motion, temperature variation, far from perfect electrical supply and dust.
The industry response to the problem of providing computer control for robot vehicles has been somewhat piecemeal, typically resulting in a jerry rigged assortment of circuit boards, protected by various housings, all strung together. Performance has suffered from the resultant lack of computer survivability.
One problem standing in the way of a more integrated approach is the issue of getting heat out of a liquid sealed box. The more computer power a designer places into a sealed box, the greater the problem faced in avoiding overheating. Limiting the number of watts of exhaust heat that must be expressed through a single housing has caused designers to tend to split up the controlling vehicle brains into more than one housing, increasing vehicle weight, and thereby decreasing fuel efficiency. Efforts at redundant design, which is highly important for high survivability, have been held back by these concerns.